Our Team

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION

Our Team

Nguyen Van Thai

Executive Director

Thai founded Save Vietnam’s Wildlife in 2014 after nearly a decade fighting for wildlife conservation in Vietnam. In 2005 he joined the Asian Pangolin Conservation Program based in Cuc Phuong National Park: first as volunteer and then as program coordinator.

After success in rescuing and rehabilitating pangolins, Thai was then responsible for all activities related to the captive management of carnivores and pangolins as the captive manager at CPCP. Thai has carried out many research projects both in captivity and in the wild, resulting in him co-authoring many published papers in international scientific journals. He was chosen as one of 40 wildlife heroes in the Wildlife Heroes book, published in the United States in 2012 and in 2016 he was awarded the prestigious Future for Nature Award. He is also Captive Ecology Vice-Chair of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group. Thai’s success has stemmed from his devotion to threatened species backed by solid scientific research.

Thai has a Master of Science (Environmental Science) and Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management and Development from the Australian National University, and a Graduate Certificate in Durrell Endangered Species Management from the University of Kent and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Our Team

Vu Thi Kim Anh

Finance Officer

Kim Anh holds a bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Sunderland,UK in 2013. She is careful and eager to learn new things. She has almost 2-year-experience working in Accounting and HR Management for the private sector. With her knowledge and practical experience and the love of animals, she joined the team to contribute her effort to wildlife conservation.

Our Team

Duong Thi Ut

Administrator Officer

Ut has four years of experience in many international business projects as a translator, interpreter, and administrator. She joined our team in January 2016 as an Administrator Officer. Ut has two bachelor degrees of English for Science and Technology from Foreign Languages College and Business Administration from Economics and Management College, Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Ut is happy to use her many skills to contribute to wildlife conservation in Vietnam.

Our Team

Nguyen Thi Tu Quynh

Our Team

Dinh Cong Thuc

Driver

Thuc has been behind the wheels for years, driving tourist buses from Vietnam to Laos. On the road, he witnessed many illegal wildlife trade and wished to do something to help. Joined SVW from November 2017, Thuc is our main driver for the educational program for children as well as animal rescue and release trips.

Our Team

Nguyen Thi Nham

Administrative Officer & Accountant – Pumat Rescue Center

Graduated from University of Language & International study in Hanoi, Nham has three years of experience in tourism. During working as a tour operator, she was also responsible for translating documents, controlling budgets and managing office staffs. Especially, she has not only concern to nature, the environment but also the threats of them that human is facing. Nham believes strongly that each individual will play an important role in the Earth‘s protection and she hopes to contribute her ability to wildlife conservation with Save Vietnam‘s Wildlife.

WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTER

Cuc Phuong National Park

Our Team

Tran Quang Phuong

CPCP Program Manager

Phuong has spent the past 15 years working on protected area management issues in addition to implementing practical conservation actions such as awareness programs, field surveys, forest ranger training, university student training and ex situ breeding programs. Graduating with a BSc in Forestry at the Vietnam Forestry University, he began working in Cuc Phuong National Park in 1999 helping to create the Visitor Education Program and went on to become the Field manager for the Conservation Awareness Program. Since 2005 Phuong has been the manager of the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program.

Our Team

Jessica Jimerson

Veterinary Manager

Jessica’s education is in Veterinary Technology. She has been working in wildlife rescues, zoos and veterinary clinics for 10 years. Her goal has been to develop specialized skills and knowledge in wildlife veterinary care, so that one day she could apply them to conservation programs to save animals in the wild.

Jessica is coming to SVW from the Houston Zoo in the U.S.A. She is committed to serving SVW for a minimum of 1 year with the priority being capacity building for the veterinarians. In this time, she will give them the training they need to provide the best standards of care for the animals at SVW.

Our Team

Truong Van Truong

Head Keeper

Truong is a local man living in Cuc Phuong National Park’s neighborhood and has a big heart for wildlife. Graduated with a Forest industry degree, he was looking for a chance to work with animals and nature and found us. Starting to work as SVW’s head keeper since April 2017, Truong wishes to be a part of our conservation efforts in Vietnam.

Our Team

Lam Kim Hai

Veterinarian

Hai has acquired diverse experiences working with animals since 2015 when he started working at Vinpearl conservation and safari park as an Animal Executive, specializing in herbivores and primates. Before graduating from the University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hai also had a chance to be trained in animal behaviour in South Africa. Joining SVW team from July 2016, he is continuing his training and has had a three week residency at Zoos Victoria, Australia. Hai wishes to contribute to the veterinary services as well as the education programs.

Our Team

Nguyen Ngoc Duyen Huong

Veterinarian

Huong is one of our vets graduated from the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Ho Chi Minh City. Although this is her first job as a veterinarian, she had spent time working at animal farms, clinics as well as laboratory during her final year at university. She has always been passionate about animals and wildlife since she was young. Being a member of SVW team, she hopes to partially contribute to the improvement of animal welfare and wildlife conservation in Vietnam.

Our Team

Dinh Van Tham

Senior Wildlife Keeper

Born within Cuc Phuong National Park Tham has an inherent love and respect for wildlife. In 1990 everyone living inside the park boundaries was forced by the government to relocate to help protect the park. In 2002 Tham joined CPCP to help protect and oversee his homeland. He is totally committed to wildlife and is an asset we couldn’t live without.

Our Team

Bui Van Thu

Senior Wildlife Keeper

As part of the Muong local ethnic community, Thu grew up aware of the threats imposed on wild populations by humans. Understanding the declining condition of his natural surroundings Thu decided he wanted to do something about it. Thu joined forces with CPCP in 2005 and is a dedicated hard worker, helping to change the future for Vietnam’s Wildlife.

Our Team

Dinh Van Tuan

Wildlife Keeper

Tuan has been working at CPCP/SVW since the beginning of 2015. Before that, he was a wildlife keeper at CPCP from 2008-2013. Being a part of local ethnic community, Tuan understands deeply about the nature and animals in Cuc Phuong. With his love, knowledge and enthusiasm for saving wildlife, Tuan is a conscientious contributor for CPCP activities and conservation works.

Our Team

Dinh Van Quyen

Wildlife Keeper

In 2007 CPCP was fortunate to have Quyen decide to team up with them. Quyen is an enthusiastic, passionate guy who believes in what CPCP is working hard to achieve. Quyen appreciates just what an amazing opportunity it is to be working with such rare species and it is encouraging to see the next generation choose a career benefitting the future of Vietnam’s wildlife.

WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTER

Pu Mat National Park

Our Team

Geoff Underwood

Development Adviser – Pu Mat Wildlife Rescue Center

Geoff has had a life long passion for the preservation of threatened species and their environments, and in the management and welfare of wildlife in captivity, having worked in these areas for almost 40 years.

He has filled a number of roles in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea and has been involved in a range of captive and field based conservation programs, including a number of threatened species recovery programs.

Geoff has a degree in Parks and Wildlife Management and has also previously held positions with a number of Australian and international animal keeper organisations and hopes that he can use his varied experiences to help support the work of Save Vietnams Wildlife.

Our Team

Tran Tuan Dung

Wildlife Keeper – Pu Mat Wildlife Rescue Center

Dung was born and raised in Nghe An Province. He graduated from the Forestry major of Nghe An College of Economics. Before joining SVW, Dung has worked as a security guide at Pu Mat National Park for over three years. He would like to contribute to the success of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work of SVW as well as preserving natural resources of his homeland. Before officially working in our rescue center in Pu Mat National Park, Dung spent more than one month working directly with our captive team in Cuc Phuong National Park in order to learn more about our focal species and how to give them the best care he can.

EDUCATION, OUTREACH and COMMUNICATION

Our Team

Le Thi Kim Ngan

Education Outreach Coordinator

Le Ngan graduated from the Faculty of Biology, University of Natural Science in Ho Chi Minh City in 2012 and she has been active in wildlife conservation education since 2010. Before becoming Senior Education and Outreach Officer at Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, Ngan was Wildlife Education Assistant for Wildlife At Risk and Communications-Education Coordinator for Gaia Nature Conservation. She worked with leading industry experts in Vietnam, participating in organizing Environmental Education training courses, developed a wide range of important skills in managing and developing programs about nature education and communication. She strongly believes that humans live in harmony with nature in the future and that Education and Communication are key factors and indispensable.

Our Team

Le Thi Hai Yen

Community-based Project Coordinator

Yen holds a bachelor of Environmental technology from Hanoi University of Science, VNU. She acquired about five years of experience performing at both local and non- international organization. Yen regards herself as an enthusiastic, self-starter, self-motivated team member. Yen also has a strong passion for environmental issues and community development field. Joining SVW team from at the end of September 2017, Yen wishes to contribute to successful wildlife conservation in Pu Mat National Park, aiming for a win- win outcome for biodiversity and rural development.

Our Team

Dao Thi Thu Huong

Behaviour Change Coordinator

Huong holds a Bachelor of Business Law at School of Law – Vietnam National University, Hanoi in 2013 and a Master Degree, major Economic Law at the same University in 2017. After nearly three years working sector as import-export officer, Huong decided to join the team at Save Vietnam’s Wildlife in December, 2016 with the hope of contributing herself to protecting the rare, precious, endangered forest animals.

In 2017, Huong attended a professional training course on behaviour change in conservation held in Indonesia and then continues to work with various international and national experts in the field of conservation education and behaviour change. Huong also got a fund to participate in another profession training course on behaviour change and communication in Oxford University, United Kindom in 2019.

Our Team

Nguyen Thi Huong Nga

School Programs Team Leader

Nga graduated from Hanoi University of Natural Resource and Environment, with a Natural Resource Management degree. Despite the fact that environment education is still a new topic in Vietnam and not included in her major curriculum, she soon spent considerable amount of time researching on this topic.

Nga has attended various internetional and national workshops and training courses to support her work and profession that contribute to the success of education programs of SVW. Nga is also a co-author of the first SVW’s article on a education outreach program published on the Journal of the International Zoo Educators Asociation. With her youth and burning passion for environment education, she hopes to utterly dedicate to our organization as well as conservation activities in Vietnam.

Our Team

Ayla van Ravenswaaij

Conservation Program Officer

Ayla is Save Vietnam’s Wildlife’s Conservation Program Officer. She holds a degree in Wildlife management from Van Hall University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. After obtaining a degree in Education and knowledge management from Stoas Vilentum University of Applied Sciences, she worked for four years as a college teacher in Ecology and wildlife studies. Ayla passionate about actively contributing to wildlife conservation and is fully committed to the protection of endangered species in Vietnam.

Our Team

Vu Thi Thuy Phuong

Education Outreach Officer

Phuong is a Senior Education Outreach Officer of SVW. She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the Vietnam Forestry University (2012) and obtained her master’s degree in the same field at the Hanoi University of Science in 2015. Given her passion for wildlife, and knowledge and skills within science and field research, Phuong aspires to actively contribute to wildlife conservation, and the protection of biodiversity in Vietnam.

She also has attended international training courses and conferences which have allowed her to learn from and connect with other conservationists and educators for the benefit of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife and wildlife conservation in Vietnam.

Our Team

Do My Linh

Design Officer

My Linh graduated Hanoi Law University in 2016 and then graduated FPT Arena Multimedia in 2017. Since she was a sophomore, she started my career as a graphic designer, and volunteered for organizations and programs about environmental issues. Paying a lot of attention to environmental issues, animals, and especially wildlife, My Linh has been active in wildlife conservation since 2015 by taking part in organizations, groups and by her personal projects on raising wildlife awareness.

My Linh joint SVW sine September 2018 with a high hope to contribute more to wildlife conservation using her abilities.

Our Team

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Trinh

Education Outreach Intern

Trinh graduated at Economic college HCMC since 2012. After a long time to work about economic. she realized passion for nature so she decided participant for nature activities with hope that education, outreach and share to everyone.

Our Team

Dang My Hanh

School Programs Intern

Hanh My Dang graduated from the Vietnam National University of Forestry majoring in Natural Resources Management. She is our new education intern, joining the team to work and learn in the third season of our project for children in kindergarten and primary school.

Hanh strongly believes that education is one of the most important keys to natural resources management. Environmental education benefits children, schools, and our larger world.

CONSERVATION RESEARCH and ANTI-POACHING

Our Team

Dung Le

Senior Field Researcher

Dung has been working in wildlife conservation for over 10 years. Dung has a B.Sc. in Biology (specialty of Zoology), Hanoi University of Science – Vietnam National University, Ha Noi, (2007), a Master of Science in Biology (2013) and years of in situ research expertise. Dung has worked as an independent research consultant many international conservation organisations such as Flora and Fauna International (FFI) and Conservation International (CI), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) , the Endangered primate Research Centre (EPRC) and the Forestry protection Department (FPD, Vietnam). Dung’s track record of successfully conducting field research in difficult conditions will be a great asset to our team as we research the ecologies of our target species and the social conditions and attitudes that support the illegal wildlife trade.

Our Team

Daniel Willcox

Science Adviser

Daniel has been working in wildlife conservation for over 10 years, focusing on issues in South-east Asia. His career began at the CPCP, where he helped to develop the field research programme for small carnivores and pangolins. Following this, he worked on protected area management and biodiversity monitoring in Cambodia. Then followed three years in London, researching the illegal wildlife trade in Africa and Asia and the policy responses to it.

Daniel is one of the Science Advisors for EAZA’s Small Carnivore Taxon Advisory Group (TAG), and is a member of the IUCN/SSC specialist groups for otters, small carnivores and pangolins. He is an Associate Editor for Small Carnivore Conservation, the peer-reviewed journal of the Small Carnivore Specialist Group. Daniel brings with him a wealth of experience on survey and monitoring techniques for rare mammals, capacity building in South-east Asia, and organisational development.

Our Team

Nguyen Van Tan

Field Researcher

Tan has more than five years of researching and protecting wildlife animals. He graduated from Tay Bac University and is following a master program in Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. He earned experiences working with reptiles and amphibians, also had several published science reports. With his youth and enthusiasm with researching and conservation, Tan hopes to contribute all-in for SVW’s mission.

Our Team

Vũ Cao Cường

Anti-Poaching Coordinator– Pu Mat National Park

Graduated from National University of Forestry in 2015, Cuong participated in planting successfully 13ha of special-use forest in Da Nang city. He also has experience in forest mapping and people management. Joining Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, Cuong desires to contribute to wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection in Vietnam.

Our Team

Lang Văn Diện

Anti-Poaching Ranger – Pu Mat National Park

Dien holds a bachelor’s degree in Forest Resource Management from Vietnam National University of Forestry in 2017. He has experience in planning, surveying and investigating the forest. With a real love for nature, Dien would like to successfully protect Vietnamese wildlife.

Our Team

Lê Tất Thành

Anti-Poaching Ranger – Pu Mat National Park

Graduated from Forestry Faculty of Vietnam National University of Forestry in 2005, Thanh has 9-year experience working in forest protection, forest resources management and patrolling activities. He loves working in conservation.

Our Team

Lộc Văn Tạo

Anti-Poaching Ranger – Pu Mat National Park

Originally from the mountainous District of Nghe An Province, Tao has a strong attachment to the nature, forest, people and culture here. After graduating from Vietnam National University of Forestry and through many different jobs, he is very proud to be Anti-Poaching ranger with SVW.

Our Team

Lộc Văn Thắng

Anti-Poaching Ranger – Pu Mat National Park

Thang graduated from Vietnam National University of Forestry in 2012. He has experience in forest protection at Con Cuong and was part of the security team of the People’s Committees of the Chau Khe Commune. Joining Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, Thang would like to improve law enforcement in forest and wildlife protection.

Our Team

Nguyễn Hữu Trung

Anti-Poaching Ranger – Pu Mat National Park

Trung holds a bachelor’s degree in Nature Resource Management from Vietnam National University of Forestry in 2017. He is happy to use his knowledge and skills in planning and investigating the forest and to contribute to protect wildlife from poachers.

Save Vietnam’s Wildlife would like to thank the many researchers, consultants and former employees, who have been working with our projects for their support.

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